Lebanon's prime minister on Tuesday (October 29th) announced he was submitting the resignation of his government, bowing to nearly two weeks of unprecedented nationwide protests, AFP reported.
Saad al-Hariri's express and sombre televised address was met by cheers from crowds of protesters who have remained mobilised since October 17th, crippling the country to press their demands.
"It has become necessary for us to make a great shock to fix the crisis. I am going to the Baabda Palace to give my resignation," said al-Hariri, who had already resigned twice in the past from that same job.
He said his decision comes "in response to the will of many Lebanese who took to the streets to demand change" in protests he called "historic".
A nationwide cross-sectarian protest movement has gripped Lebanon for almost two weeks, calling for an overhaul of a political class viewed as incompetent and corrupt.
Banks and schools have remained closed and the normally congested main arteries in Beirut blocked by protesters, despite the government's adoption of an emergency economic rescue plan last week.
The unprecedented protest movement had been relatively incident-free, despite tensions with the armed forces and attempts by party loyalists to stage counter-demonstrations.
